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KNOXVILLE -- Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin has preached to his players all season that it doesn't matter how they start anything if they don't finish strong.

"We talk all the time about being a great fourth-quarter team, and for most of the year we've done that," Kiffin said Tuesday. "Now it translates into the fourth quarter of the season, and it's about finishing."

November has always been a big month for the Volunteers. Since the Southeastern Conference expanded in 1992, they're 58-10 in regular season games played after Oct. 31. They're 44-5 against SEC opponents in that span.

Tennessee (5-4, 2-3) has never faced Mississippi (6-3, 2-3) during that span. The Vols make only their third trip to Oxford on Saturday.

A win over the Rebels would make Tennessee bowl-eligible after missing out on the postseason last year. Winning out could put the Vols in position to grab a bid from the likes of the Capitol One Bowl, Outback Bowl, Cotton Bowl or Chick-fil-A Bowl.

The Vols have been out of the SEC championship race for weeks now, but they don't care.

"We're not playing for an SEC championship, but by the way we're practicing, by the way that we're playing, you wouldn't be able to tell we weren't playing for one," defensive tackle Chris Walker said. "The way that we work is going to show."

Finishing strong is even more important after the way the Vols performed late against Memphis in their 56-28 win last week, giving up 21 points to the Tigers after the second team defense took over.

"I was embarrassed for everybody watching the game, everybody in the stands. That's not how we're supposed to play Tennessee football," Kiffin said.

Still, Tennessee has steadily improved from it's first loss, a 19-15 decision on Sept. 12 to a UCLA team that's now 4-5.

Kiffin credits changes to the lineup, players returning from injuries and improved play by the Vols. But with improved play comes increased expectations.

"We need to be explosive," he said. "We love running the ball, and we love grinding it out, but if we're going to be a championship team we have got to be explosive, and we have got to make people scared that we can throw the ball downfield and we can make plays everywhere.

"We've done a little bit of that, but we've got a long way to go."

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